Talking to The Midweek Sun in the wake of a High Court order preventing government from pressing ahead with relocating Basarwa of Ranyane to Bere settlement, some residents who attended the court hearing in Lobatse yesterday have called on the government to leave them alone in their ‘own world’ and stop interfering in their way of life.

Xharae Phuti, a resident who could not spell his name, said he does not envy living in a civilized location. “I was born and raised in Ranyane. I have never been to school and I don’t know my age, but my life has been perfect in Ranyane. I never complained of anything there. We live off eating wild fruits and even though we struggle to get water we always help one another to contribute to maintain a borehole for the entire community,” he said.

After the case the residents were over the moon, as they took turns to shake hands with their lawyer despite the language barrier. Phuti seemed to have loved to express gratitude to the British lawyer. He said he and his family longed to live freely in a country they were born in.

Another resident of Ranyane, Heebe Karakubisi said government was treating Basarwa like aliens. “We are residents and citizens of Botswana. Why do they want to toss us around as if we don’t matter? We have never troubled anyone in our ancestors’ land and we will not move from there,” he said defiantly.